Students often gauge their performance before and after an exam, usually in the form of rough grade estimates or general feelings. Are these estimates accurate? Should they form the basis for decisions about study time, test-taking strategies, revisions, subject mastery, or even general competence? In two studies, undergraduates took a real…

This review of the literature examines the effectiveness of instructing students in various test-taking strategies, particularly in reference to multiple choice questions. Among findings reported are that while test-wiseness strategies may be taught, these strategies have limited generalizability across exams and learners who proactively process…

This study examined the effectiveness of PLAE (Preplan List, Activate, and Evaluate) in training students to have executive control over their learning strategies. Subjects, 56 at-risk students enrolled in four separate sections of an upper-level study strategies course at a major southern university, received intensive, direct instruction in…

Presents a theoretical model that identifies the context in which students experience difficulties with complex multiple choice exams (MCE). Provides a structured approach that facilitates the development of critical thinking and metacognitive skills. Discusses a workshop in which participants reported increased knowledge concerning the process…

To determine whether students have study strategies that they can transfer to future learning tasks, a research study used a content-based model--the Supportive Seminar--a voluntary content review session held by a leader enrolled in a targeted college course for freshmen. The leader acts as a role model for the students by attending all lectures,…

Using 33 college freshmen enrolled in a basic reading skills course as subjects, a study was conducted for two purposes: (1) to determine the effects of direct exposure to the topics of the selections in the New Jersey College Basic Skills Placement Test (NJCBSPT) on their posttest scores, and (2) to investigate whether students exposed to the…